CHINA TOPIX

Concerns Mounts Over India’s Slow Progress on Chabahar Project, as China Marches Ahead With Gwadar Project

Girish Shetti   |

Oct 07, 2016 06:05 PM EDT

When India sealed the Chabahar port deal during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's maiden visit to Iran in May, officials in New Delhi could not have been happier. They described the agreement as a historic deal that will give India a much-needed trade access to Central Asia, bypassing its arch rival Pakistan. More importantly, the deal was considered crucial to break away from China's encirclement or its much talked about "string of pearls" strategy.